Saffron Moon
by WiseAbsol
Summary: During their courtship and marriage, there was always more to smile at than not. A collection of moments chronicling a developing relationship between Mewtwo and Sabrina/Natsume. Latest Chapter - 2:9  - An outsider tries to woo Natsume, and only Natsume is pleased. Until she's not. And boy does she have some things to say to Mewtwo afterwards!
1. 1:9  Spring Flowers

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Pokémon_, which belongs to: _Nintendo; the Pokémon Company; Creatures; GAME FREAK; TV Tokyo; ShoPro; Jr. Kikaku; Shogakukan Production Co, Ltd.; Satoshi Tajiri; _and _Ken Sugimori. _These companies and the creators rightfully own the franchise. Please note that I don't write this story to infringe on copyrights or to earn money; this is merely to entertain individuals who share my interests.

**Story Warning:** This story uses the Japanese names of the characters instead of the English ones (except for pokémon and city names, because that would be insane). I'll explain the reasons for this later, but this change shouldn't actually throw you too badly. As long as you know that Sabrina and Natsume are the same, you should be fine. Also, this story will eventually contain sexual content. I know, that's so unprecedented of me with this pairing, right?

* * *

**O:O:O**

**SAFFRON MOON**

**1:9 - Spring Flowers**

**O:O:O**

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Natsume Kurosawa, the Saffron City Gym Leader and the headmistress of Senninso Academy, met Mewtwo for the first time at the local library.

Given that Saffron City was the capitol of Kanto, it was naturally the home to numerous attractions. There was the Silph Company Headquarters, where the leading manufacturers of pokémon technology worked. There was the Saffron Gym and Senninso Academy, which promoted the acceptance of and self-mastery in psychics. There was the Fighting Dojo, a secondary Gym which held annual competitions (the top prizes being rare fighting pokémon). There was the Magnet Train Station, which provided rapid transport to Johto's capital, Goldenrod City, for the fraction of the price of sea- or airfare.

Compared to these, the Saffron City Public Library was without glamour, having no association with the Pokémon League Circuits, nor drawing many visitors outside of the civilian crowds. However, it was still an impressive athenaeum, boasting seven sprawling levels and books on every subject.

The ground floor was devoted to children's literature, new releases, videos and DVDs, and the bookstore and checkout stations. The second was filled with young adult and graphic novels. The third was filled with adult fiction, the genres split largely between murder mysteries, science fiction and fantasy, and romance. The fourth was occupied with classical literature, much of it consisting of epic poem and countless plays, while the fifth was focused on non-fiction and reference books. The sixth was the archive, containing films, cassettes, records, portfolios, newspaper clippings, journals, and magazines. There were disks that held digital copies of each set, but even so, nothing in the archive was available for checkout.

Finally, the seventh level contained rare and ancient books, which - due to their delicate nature - where kept as far from the reach of children as possible. You'd even need a librarian-issued pass to have access to the floor: the elevators weren't programmed to open on level seven (not without the access code), and the stairway simply ended in a locked door. Teenagers often joked that level seven was where all the dirty books were kept. If any library workers happened to hear them, the usual result was a very loud and public lecture. The rumors still persisted.

Beyond the perk of being surrounded by books, Natsume valued the library for what else it offered her: insight into her fellow Saffonites. She felt as if she could learn about them from whichever level they prowled. Those who stayed on the first three floors were usually too busy or unmotivated to do more than "pleasure read," retreating into fiction to escape their banal lives. Those who frequented the fourth through sixth floors were the scholars, the ones who chased after the muses and the sciences alike. Those who entered the seventh level, the sacred level, were those with the highest of minds: they delved into the deep and forgotten past, which was riddled with strange tongues and littered with obscure meanings.

All in all, the psychic wasn't drawn to any of these groups. No, she was interested in the rare few who drifted through all the levels, scarcely touching the chairs, tables, or computers, instead preferring to wander between the shelves and pick out a variety of tomes to consume. Those who loved the ensemble of silent voices, who savored the smell of pages and ink - those were the people she found intriguing. In them she sometimes found kindred souls: the quick and curious and thoughtful of mind, whose hearts could tolerant even a strange woman like her.

Ultimately, Mewtwo would delight her by being one of those people. But when she first met him, it wasn't in the library itself, but in its western courtyard. That evening she sat cross-legged on a bench, reading aloud _haiku_ as the sunlight faded and fireflies flickered over the lawn. Around her, the scents of cherry blossoms and jasmine mingled, drifting into her hair and rising from her skin. She was wearing a crimson blouse and dress skirt, a white undershirt and black tights. In the grass beneath her lay her shoes, slipped off over an hour ago. The usually stern "Witch of the Mists" was well-relaxed right then. She'd checked out her books already and, as such, was unconcerned about the building's closing time. She would leave soon enough, but for now, she would continue enjoying poetry until the streetlights lit up, signaling that it was time for her to head home.

And that was how the clone of mew found her: at ease on that bench, her voice almost melodic as she recited Japanese poems. The last of the sun's rays and lightning bugs were alighting her with gold, making the red hue of her irises seem ablaze with sparks.

As she recited a praise of the moon god, he lurked in the depths of the grove, his tail curled beside a man-made stream and a small Shinto shrine. Her voice, pitched in a low alto, was soothing to his ears. It also seemed to befit the enigmatic, ethereal beauty she possessed, which might better suit a siren or a succubus, those creatures of myth who could seduce even the coldest of men.

Yet she needed no supernatural charm to provoke his interest, to tempt both sides of his persona, the beast and the philosopher. No, if the allure of her physical form and voice weren't enough, then she also possessed what had drawn him to her in the first place: that bright aura which outshone all those around her, its light conveying to him her cunning mind, her aged soul, and, most clearly of all, the glory of her psychical abilities.

He supposed it was only natural for him to find her intriguing. It was rare that he encountered true psychics among her race, and given that her skills might rival his own, how could he not be curious? Add to that the rumors surrounding her, of how she'd lost her childhood friends in an unmentionable disaster; of how she'd trained herself until her mind – and her family – had fractured; of how she'd once ruled over and terrorized the trainers who'd entered her lair; and of how she'd been redeemed through the kindness of a child, thereafter striving to be a benevolent, if still mysterious entity….

Well, even with rumor about her turning people into dolls (which he frankly believed was hogwash), her history seemed to distinctly parallel his own. At the very least, while their wounds had mended, they'd remained outcasts from their respective societies. They were the same in so many ways...and to find such a kindred spirit in a (_lovely, intelligent_) woman...well, it _captivated_ the clone.

Not that he'd descended to the point of stalking her. He wasn't even looking at her now, but leaning against the shrine, listening to her voice and to the gurgles of the stream. He was well aware of who she was, this Natsume of Saffron, this Gym Leader of the Marshes, this "Witch of the Mists." She trained psychic pokémon like him, having acquired a venomoth, a mr. mime, a drowsee, a kadabra, an alakazam, and, if the rumors were true, a rather playful haunter.

From what he knew, the primary five included her starter and adopted pokémon, all of which were highly trained. The ghost, on the other hand, was more of a pet than anything else. Supposedly he was even rather naughty and quite the trickster…and yet, to the bewilderment of the general populace, Natsume doted on the creature. Perhaps she was soft on him because he made her laugh – _that_, apparently, was a rarity, and was thus rather coveted. Those who'd attempted similar feats often failed miserably, which might explain (at least in part) why she was single.

Regardless, none of her pokémon were present, and since he was keeping his aura cloaked, he was all but invisible to her senses. After the sky began to blacken, he stirred from the grass and walked through the trees towards her, his cloak rippling around him as he strode forward. He'd decided hours ago that he'd like to meet and speak with her. If she proved a danger to him, he'd reassured himself that he could simply ease into her mind, erase her memories of him, and slip back into the gathering night. But if she proved benign to him, then things would become…_interesting_. In truth, out of all the cities in Kanto, he was rather fond of Saffron, with its vibrant nightlife, its sanctuaries for the fine arts, and its useful geographical position at the heart of the country. To have a companion in it of high social standing could prove beneficial to him.

That, and she really did appeal to his tastes.

Casting out his senses to check that no one was nearby, he smirked and stepped out from the foliage, walking towards her in silently. At first she didn't appear to notice him, but after he stopped a few paces from her, she glanced up from her book to find him staring at her.

Emotions flickered across her face in rapid succession: surprise at his sudden appearance, confusion over her inability to sense him, realization and awe upon finding that her senses had been fooled, and finally, equal measures of amusement and curiosity matching his own. She placed her marker – a thin red ribbon - in her book and leaned back to stare at him.

Finally, with her mouth curling into a tiny smirk, she said, "Good evening, stranger. Can I help you with something, or are you going to keep ogling me shamelessly?"

Her voice was light, but there was the potential for anger there. He quickly sought to steer clear of her ire. "_While the latter option is tempting, I will settle on asking for your help. I was wondering if you might know the way to Senninso Academy, since I hear stray psychics might find shelter there. While I need no training myself, the idea of room and board sounds agreeable, and you seem the right person to ask."_

She smiled, pleasantly surprised and growing even more interested. She stood and stepped towards him. Fireflies flickered between them. "I see. I know the way, but I should warn you, capable adults have to help provide for our facilities during their stay."

His lightheartedness seemed to waver, and sensing that, she added, "That is, we could always use more guides for the students, and people who can help with the odd jobs that crop up around the gym and school. Money wouldn't be necessary."

The stranger relaxed at that and nodded. "_I am certain there are services I could offer in exchange. But would you be willing to allow a mere pokémon to enter your ranks without a trainer, or would you insist that the creature be caught and tamed?"_

"Our mental gifts give us a unique understanding of the equality among living beings. Your proficiency determines your position, not your species. You'll be treated fairly there, I assure you." She cocked her head to the side, just a little. "But just in case, do you have a human guise you could wear in public? If you do, that would deter trainers from trying to catch you."

He nodded. "_I do. If it pleases you, I can shift into it now."_

Natsume's eyes seemed to gleam at that. "Please do. Afterwards, I'll walk you to the Gym."

And so Mewtwo invoked the gift of his ancestors, transforming in a wash of azure light, his tail vanishing, his legs straightening, his fingers splitting, his face smoothing, his fur melting into flesh, all painlessly until he looked every bit a human man, if quite fair of skin and hair. Despite all the changes, however, his eyes remained nearly the same, almond-shaped and amethyst in hue. They flashed sapphire-blue as he stepped forward and extended his arm to the woman. His self-appointed guide accepted it, and cast an admiring at his ruffled hair and the bristles across his chin, at his lithe body which exuded both confidence (perhaps even arrogance) and grace. Her pleased smile didn't fade as she led him under the streetlights, or as she asked him one question before nearing her home.

"By the way, stranger, what is your name?"

He smirked as he gazed down at her and answered, "Mewtwo."

* * *

**Thank You:** To everyone who read this introduction. I hope you all enjoyed it.

**Author's Note: **Hey there, everyone. So, I'm beginning another psishipping work, though this one will be a short story rather than a one-shot. For the most part, I intend this to be a very lighthearted piece, with a good dash of humor and fluff included. There might be some more serious moments as well, but for the most part, this one should stay on the up and up.

For those who might be wondering at the inconsistencies regarding the characters - to Natsume in particular - know that I'm blending different accounts from the anime and the games, from Toshihiro Ono's "Dengeki Pikachu" manga, and from "The Birth of Mewtwo Radio Drama." As such, Natsume's history is a blend of those found in the anime and manga, and she has red eyes rather than blue ones. I'm fairly certain Mewtwo's history will mostly be taken from the anime, but we'll see what happens.

Finally, there were some shout-outs in this chapter to Meriah's "Ascension." I'd encourage you all to go read it, along with the rest of her work, since she's a far more efficient writer than I am.

I hope to see you all in the next chapter!

Sincerely,

_WiseAbsol_


	2. 2:9  Summer and Autumn Kisses

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Pokémon_, which belongs to: _Nintendo; the Pokémon Company; Creatures; GAME FREAK; TV Tokyo; ShoPro; Jr. Kikaku; Shogakukan Production Co, Ltd.; Satoshi Tajiri; _and _Ken Sugimori. _These companies and the creators rightfully own the franchise. Please note that I don't write this story to infringe on copyrights or to earn money; this is merely to entertain individuals who share my interests.

* * *

**O:O:O**

**SAFFRON MOON**

**2:9 – Summer and Autumn Kisses**

**O:O:O**

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All in all, Mewtwo's integration into Senninso Academy went smoothly, despite having the headmistress as his introducer. Since this was something of a novelty, the curiosity of the others had – at least during the first month – led many to stalk him both physically and psychically, with seeming no end to the students and pokémon who turned up at the door to his quarters. Yet as the weeks passed by, these callers contented themselves with the knowledge that this newcomer, who called himself "Yuè," was a particularly talented ex-recluse…and someone who happened to have enough charisma to charm their leader.

For a time, this ability to intrigue the Witch of the Mists fed the rumor mill a steady supply of tales of scandal and suspected romance. But after a while, the onlookers resumed their training and schoolwork, leaving the vagabond to his own devices. But insuring that the rumor mill never quite went out of service, one individual continued to visit "Yuè" in his home – and that person was, of course, that woman who'd "discovered" him in the first place.

At first Natsume's visits had been professional enough: she'd helped him move into his apartment, even going so far as to provide him with furnishings, since he seemingly had no possessions of his own. She'd provided him with the basic Academy calendar (marking the days of the festivals, exhibits, performances, and ceremonies) and a schedule of the classes he would be teaching, the most prominent of which was Advanced Aural Shielding. She'd also given him a tour of the facilities, showing him the dining options and classrooms; had reassured him, when asked, that their toadstool mascot was definitely _not_ advocating the use of psilocybin mushrooms; and even ate with him on occasion. Yet as the weeks went on, her visits grew increasingly casual. They often meditated and sparred together, with the latter demonstrations awing of their students and capturing the interest of her previously oblivious parents.

When the older Kurosawas learned that the two were working together, they started keeping a discreet eye on them. They noticed that Natsume and "Yuè" would explore the town together on the weekends, and that their daughter often asked him to help her with things which didn't _really _require assistance. At one point, they overheard her say, "Stranger, could you help me stalk down our resident poltergeist?" – which everyone knew was haunting _her _apartment – and snickered when he replied, "As you wish."

While they doubted he'd watched many Western movies, and was thus unaware of the possible Princess Bride reference, they nonetheless joked that he moved _fast,_ and grew more and more amused with the two as the summer slipped by. They both understood that the stranger _interested _their Natsume, but like most young men, he seemed somewhat oblivious to the looks she sent his way. That wasn't to say he didn't appreciate her attention; by a mew's fluffy paws, he did!

That said, romantic relationships rarely developed without a hitch or ten, and theirs was no exception. One snag came in the form of a fair-haired, golden-skinned man from the Orange Islands, who just so happened to be on a tour of the Kanto region. Upon encountering Saffron's dark and noble lady, he abandoned the tour bus and began wooing Natsume in earnest. Initially, the woman was amused, then flattered, and then intrigued. It wasn't often a man overlooked her past and personality to romance her like this, and the romantic in her found she quite enjoyed it.

That Mewtwo seemed oblivious to her interest only convinced her to give the foreigner a chance. So instead of turning him down, she humored the man and joined him for a fancy dinner or two. Her parents - her mother in particular - were _not_ pleased. They'd grown rather fond of "Yuè," if merely from the fond words of their daughter. That his students also gave him rave reviews only added to his allure: he might be aloof, they said, but he was knowledgeable and protective of his flock. While they hadn't actually met him yet, Mr. and Mrs. Kurosawa thought that what they'd heard sounded promising. He seemed like a good catch for their daughter, and yet….

And yet Natsume was of legal age, and since they didn't know what was actually going on between her and "Yuè," they could hardly go making suggestions. Their little girl simply wasn't a little girl anymore. Even so, they didn't miss the rumor that was spreading through the school: Sensei Yuè was colder than usual lately. Whenever their headmistress' name was said - which, naturally, occurred quite often – he grew even more sullen. Soon her name and that of, in his own words, the "golden pea-cock" (he always added a dash, an audible pause, between the "pea" and the "cock"), became taboo in his classroom.

Whether they called the sunny bird in question a strutting git or not didn't matter. What mattered was that everyone learned to shield their thoughts that much faster, because if their headmistress "overheard" them cursing out her Islander suitor for the trouble he was causing, she'd probably expel them on the charge of "bashing a resident's private life."

But eventually the situation resolved itself in perhaps the only way it could (that is, without causalities): the snag was wretched free and cast aside. Quite literally, actually. In a fit of fury, the golden man was uprooted and tossed – with minimal clothing - from her apartment via her telekinesis. To the delight of the residents who were walking by at the time, they saw that Yuè's slur for the man was quite accurate. As for why the bird had been pushed from her nest…well, that didn't matter to them! What mattered was that the next day, Sensei Yuè was himself again, and was even a little chipper. To his students, this was a godsend.

To Natsume, this was _very, very annoying!_

That night, she rapped her knuckles on his door, which he unlocked and swung open after a moment's hesitation. As she glared up at him, she saw that he'd shifted into his natural form, which was something of a nightly ritual for him. Her scowl deepening, she brushed past him and stepped over his tail. Taking off her coat and tossing it onto the table, she spun around and waited until he'd closed to front door.

Once he had, she began to hiss, "So let me see if I understand this correctly. I hint that I'm interested in you for _months_. I go _just shy_ of holding up a sign that says, 'Mewtwo, take me, I'm yours!' and you refuse to look my way. But when _I s_how interest in another man, you scowl and snap at everyone around you, and then act like a giddy schoolboy when I reject him! So which is it? Do you find me-," she fumbled for the word, then spat, "-_interesting _or not?"

He blinked at her, his tail flicking behind him. "_I should think the answer to that is obvious. I find you very interesting, likable, attractive, or whichever term for it you prefer."_

Irritation flashed over her face. "So why have you been so-?"

"_While I was aware of your hints, I questioned your logic in offering them. I ultimately decided not to act for your sake."_

Her frustration gave way to reproach. "Come again?"

He sighed and sat in one of the armchairs she'd given him. Peering up at her, his fingertips flexing against the black fabric, he said, "_If you have not already realized this, you are, in fact, a rather beautiful woman, while I am, in fact, a rather unsightly pokémon. While I can take on human form, that doesn't change the moral codes of our societies, which dictate that like should pair with like - and physically, you and I are as different as two people can be."_

She crossed her arms, not seeming satisfied with that answer. "Physically, maybe. But in all other ways-."

"_This is not _La Belle et la Bête, _Natsume. We would not be accepted as a couple, but ridiculed if we-."_

She bristled at that, and then growled at him in a manner reminiscent of a black panther. "What does it matter what anyone else might think? Our private lives are none of their concern! You're interested in me and I'm interested in you, so what is the problem, Mewtwo?"

"_Well, you rhymed, and that is never a positive–."_ The couch cushions suddenly flew at him, two of which hit him in the chest and face. Flailing his arms and tail out in front of him, he cursed, "-_Damn it, woman, would you refrain from throwing cushions at me? While they do not hurt, they make it hard to con - agh!"_

"'Conagh'? Are you trying to learn a foreign language in your spare time? I would have thought Japanese and English would serve you well enough!" she taunted, her eyes glowing azure as she sent another cushion at his head.

He ducked with a groan. "_Natsume, stop that! I am merely trying to reason with-."_

But the Witch of the Mists refused to listen to him anymore. In one fluid movement, she leaned over him, placed her hands on his shoulders, and covered his mouth with hers. The kiss that followed was jarring, in large part due to the different shapes of their mouths, but it was successful in its aim: it made Mewtwo's train of thought leap off its tracks and crash to a halt. For a moment they both savored the warmth of that touch, savored the flavor of cherry lip balm, savored how time slowed down and their heart rates sped up.

Then Natsume drew back with a sigh, and seeing the shocked look on Mewtwo's face, she said, "As much as I appreciate reason, I also know that repressing your desires can have dangerous consequences. So I plan to pursue you, Mewtwo, and whether you pursue me back is entirely up to you. But I hope you do. I prefer not having to do all the work."

She turned away from him then and went to fetch her coat. She slipped it on and headed to the door (perhaps a bit too quickly), seeming perfectly willing to leave him there, stunned in his seat. Staring after her, the clone licked his chops, mentally shook himself, and called out, "_Is that why you turned him down? Because he was not making enough of an effort?"_

She paused and inclined her head slightly. "Actually, he had the opposite problem. He was trying to push too much too fast, rushing things I prefer to take slowly. I couldn't have that, now could I? Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to find a more the ideal pace and succeed where he failed."

For a moment, he didn't respond…but then his eyes gleamed and he murmured, "_If that is within my power, then I will most certainly attempt to. That, as it were, is a desire of mine."_

He meant that, and as she opened the door and peered into the night, she smiled. "Good to know."

Then she walked out into the autumn night. The shadows undulated and rose to meet her, and he watched her melt away into the murk. After she faded completely, he waved the door shut and breathed in deep: she'd left the waning scent of jasmine in her wake.

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**Thank You:** _Meriah_ and _Mai-danishgirl_ for reviewing the last chapter! I appreciated your feedback, and hope you and others will leave a review for this chapter as well. As always, thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:** So I'm releasing this later than expected, and suffice to say the delay is due to extreme busyness offset with an extreme lack of motivation. However, Kayasuri-n's recent one-shot, "Bittersweet" – a gorgeous psishipping piece which I shamelessly begged for her to write – has infused me with fresh zeal for this couple, which made me turn back to this series (because there are maybe five people, tops, who actually write this pairing). In any case, I haven't been idle this past month as far as writing goes. Plans for my original fiction work continue to progress, and the special project a friend and I are working on for this couple is underway. I'm afraid I can't share much about either work, since I don't want to spoil anything, so just know that I'm very excited right now! At any rate, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Have a nice day, everyone!

Sincerely,

_WiseAbsol_


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